Naruto Uzumaki: Scion of Kyuubi
by Jinsoku
Summary: Naruto Uzumaki; unknowing container of the Kyuubi has lived a harsh life treated as the outlet of hatred and fear for the villagers - for five years. On the eve of his fifth birthday, something happens... On Hiatus
1. Chapter 1

Hello, all you beautiful people! This story is a depressing, mature story featuring Naruto and his growth in Konoha in an Alternate Universe! As such, he will be OOC eventually starting from chapter 2, after his life-changing event in chapter 1! This will also, eventually, feature a manipulative, ambitious Sarutobi who seeks to forge Naruto into a weapon.

DIsclaimer: I do not own in any way, anything from Naruto. Not even a plushy. Nor am I making money from this work of fanfiction. It'd be nice, but I'm not. Boo-hoo for me.

Chapter 1: Beginning

For a beginning, there must be an end.

* * *

A hickup ran through Naruto's shuddering, broken body - a tremble, much like the last leaf on a branch, brown, nearly dead. It was only a matter of time before the leaf would be blown off by a gust of wind. It was only a time before the child's lifetime was over. It was only mere moments when the four year old child took a final breath, and released it.

He had struggled for four years as an orphan, faced an abusive caretaker, an abusive orphanage, and an abusive village. And in only four years, what should have been some of the brightest and best of a child's life, ended in a way that should have brought tears to the hardest men's soul - Orochimaru's, perhaps.

Yet none of the crowd who had been a part of the child's demise shed a tear, and if any guilt was felt, it was swallowed underneath the oceans of hatred that each person had at the _Kyuubi_, the fox of nine tails that had decimated the ranks of shinobi and - more importantly - the Yondaime, the hokage who had captured the hearts and souls of all of the village. This was divine judgement, in their eyes.

And so, as the villagers walked away from the bloody, gaunt form of the malnourished child, there was an air of congratulation as they slapped their backs with blood hands, and left bloody footprints on the walkway. Lips were stretched in jubiliant grins, as they went back to their every day life.

And so, on the night of Naruto's fifth birthday, under the cold, passionless eye of the moon, the blonde-headed child died. That should have been the end of his story. Those sightless blue eyes should never have seen another sight. But fate - aided by a certain nine-tailed demon sealed inside of the boy - had other plans.

* * *

_Drip. Drip. Drip._

'What... what is that?'

Without warning, memory surged through the boy, bringing a hint of physical pain, which was easily overshadowed by the devestating emotional pain brought about by the memories of what the villagers of the leaf had done to him.

_ "Demon! Monster! Damned Fox!"_

_ His chest burned as he panted, bare feet - too poor to have shoes, too unliked to be given any - slapping across the paved ground, callouses that should have taken years to develop having been formed seemingly over the course of this desperate run for freedom, to get away from the hatred._

_ The run was futile, of course. A boy so small had to take three steps for every one that a man or woman had to take, and while desperation gave him wings, hated gave his pursurers endless energy, and each yell, each shout, seemed to drive the fervor of the others to higher heights._

_ He didn't understand it, as he dashed around a corner. He thought he'd had more time. The past two years, this kind of hatred was supposed to sart later on this day. The day of the Kyuubi's defeat, and Naruto's birthday. This group must have decided to start the 'celebrations' early... And this time, ninja seemed to be a part of the group, rather than the - oft late - protectors._

_ A stone caught him in the shoulder, causing him to stumble, which resulted in his __**fatal**__ mistake. He tripped. He fell. His arm snapped in a sickening, loud crackle as he landed upon it. And even as the first sob escaped him, a fist impacted his cheek, the ring on one of the fingers cutting through the flesh to the bone. Not even that was as horrifying as the other part - the force shoved him further onto the arm, making the bone snap through his flesh._

_ A howl that had more in common with a wounded animal escaped him - just one - and then he was silent as a kick rammed into his weak ribs, making them shatter and crackle, driving the breath out of his mouth and making him wheeze..._

_ His life ended less than a minute later, blue eyes, haunted through life, staring at the backs of those happy villagers who felt they'd just done a great service to the world. Those sightless eyes were asking 'why.'_

As though the final memory that raced through his mind had been spoken outloud, a deep, rumbling sound that sounded more like a force of nature than a voice growled gutterally, "**Come. I'll tell you why."**

Blue eyes widened as the blonde spun around, feet smacking in the liquid that dribbled down dilapidated walls - blood, he noted in a passive way - only to see that there was light down at the end of the tunnel.

An older person would have been more afraid. An older person would have been crazy to follow that harsh, inhuman voice. _Anyone_ would have been sane enough to know that following such a voice was pure stupidity.

Naruto, however, had seen what human cruelty was. He'd been shown terror since the first moment he could remember - which was a lot, in his 'five' years of life. And so he followed, listlessly, as though in a dream. And which each step he took, the blood he splashed through seemed to grow thicker, as though trying to tell him the path he was going to follow was a hard one, that would result in plenty of pain and death.

He slipped into the room and scarcely had to glance around before his cerulean orbs were captured by the massive doors, created by bars, that dominated the room. But they may as well not have been there, as two massive, crimson eyes gazed out, slitted, inhuman, _**angry**_. Not at him though, he was sure of that. He'd experienced enough killing intent to know that the diffused pressure, while thick, wasn't focused entirely on him.

That fact alone caused him to relax, before whimpering out, almost a pained mewl, "W... wha.. whe..." His mind seemed to be short-circuited, not sure what was going on, or where he was.

And so that booming voice began to speak, white teeth flashing into reality beneath the crimson eyes, "**You, Naruto Uzumaki, are in your mind. And **_**I,**_** am the great **_**Kyuubi!**_**" **The roar that escaped from the beast as it stated that fact nearly seemed to cause the entire landscape to quiver and quake, and it revealed the great pride that the creature took in it's place.

For Naruto though, the former statement was overshadowed by the latter statement, which seemed to dredge horror and despair out from him, despite the fact that he'd assumed he had no more to give. Eyes opened wide as the blonde stared at the demon, and then fell to his knees, eyes clenching shut, crying silently as he whimpered, "What... What did I do to send me to this hell? I tried to be good." He quivered, curling up on himself, hands clutching his belly as he sobbed, "I tried to be good, b... but I wasn't good enough." Clearly, in his childish mind, he'd done something so great that not only had the villagers hated him, but death itself had consigned him to being tormented by the Kyuubi!

And yet, if he'd been watching, those harsh, slitted eyes would soften and lower, sliding down so that they framed the seal adorning the cage. "**Nothing, child, has been done by you. You have sought to be good for the villagers, and you have seen their thanks. I offer you another choice - be good for me, and I shall ensure that you are never alone again."**

The blonde's eyes snapped open, gazing at the creature in what might have been a desperate need that caused even that great demon's heart to clench in symphathy, and, quietly, as though afraid that to speak louder would pop the dream that he was sure was currently taking place, "Y... you'll... care for me?"

The great, massive eyes moved up and down, a silent nod, before the creature replied, "**All you need to do, child, is to remove a small strip of this parchment." **The eyes that had frightened Naruto initially, but that already sent a throb of childish love at the fact that they were a part of the first creature to give a damn about him, glared at the paper that was on the forefront of the jail cell.

And so, Naruto, eager as he was for love, stepped forward and did so eagerly - so desperate for affection and acknowledgement that he was willing to make a deal with the deal. And so, a small strip of the seal was torn from the sheet - and Naruto screamed.

Red energy began to leak out from the cage, wrapping around Naruto, invading him, pouring in through his skin. It felt like fire, it was agony, it hurt, it hurt, it hurt! Screams and crying were wrenched from his throat, before, after an eternity passed and the energy that had grasped him vanished, he fell to the floor like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

And the Kyuubi, most feared of the bijuu, gazed down at the boy whose life had just been given back to him with an almost maternal reverence.

After all, she - for the Kyuubi was a she - had been with him since the day he was born, since his first meal, his first dream, nightmare, birthday, and childish rejection of friendship. She had been there for him, every second of every day, watching, unable to help, until now, when death had brought him to her door far earlier than had been expected.

And so, with all the tenderness that his biological mother would have shown, a tail slowly slipped through the bars of the door, and wrapped around the unconcious child like a blanket. Quietly, she crooned to the kit that she thought of as her own, and wept at the monstrosity of those who would do such terrible things to an innocent.

* * *

Unknown to anyone but the Bijuu in Naruto's belly, crimson chakra flared out of the seal at his belly, enveloping his tiny form, and rapidly began to repair the damage that had been caused to him. As the wounds sealed and blood was restored, a small smile formed on Naruto Uzumaki's face - the first true one of his life - as he knew that he was safe and protected. After all, he had someone that could never be taken away from him like the others had been.

_End of __**Chapter 1**_

-Hello! I'm sure that you have some questions about the story. It's a story about Naruto being raised by the Kyuubi, in addition to a manipulative Sarutobi who wanted to create a weapon for Konoha. I'll get more into that later.

In addition, this is my first story, so be sure to leave me a message! Preferably no flames, but any constructive criticism is appreciated and lurved.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, despite all of it's awesomeness. I know, I know, it should belong to me. But it doesn't. And so I don't get to make money on this story either.

* * *

Chapter 2: Four Years and Elderly Musings!

* * *

Darkness filled the Hokage's office, unbroken by anything save for the red embers that danced, merrily consuming the tobacco and medicinal herbs so that Sarutobi, the leader of Konoha, could inhale them slowly. And despite the calming effects of the smoke that filled his lungs, what was going on in the great man's head and heart was far more similiar to the flames, flickering and consuming, hungry.

The loving contenance that many of the villagers affectionately referred to as 'the grandfather of Konoha.' Considering how easily they let their hatred consume them, it probably wouldn't have been a surprise to realize that his soul was as twisted and blackened as the rest.

It certainly wasn't aided by the fact that he had been unable to sleep due to his faltering plans. It wasn't that the village was in danger, nor had any particularly upsetting thing occured with any of the other villages. Not even a single genin had been lost on a mission for over a month - a neary unprecedented thing to have occurred. No, the whole reason he'd been awake all night was due to one _Naruto Uzumaki_, who, despite Sarutobi's best efforts, refused to break.

He simply couldn't understand it! His plan should have been perfect, invulnerable, impossible to dismantle or defeat. After all, he had gone to such lengths to ensure that the power of human sacrifice, the _Jinchuuriki,_ would become his useful weapon.

He had realized the information that the Kyuubi had not been defeated, as everyone had assumed outside of a few, but instead had been sealed inside of the boy. Of course, through a few twisted words, he had ensured that the people would hate the boy - telling them that the Yondaime had been forced to seal the demon inside of the child with risky safeguards, as their had been little time for planning if he wanted to save any of his '_wonder, loyal villagers._' Like the sheep they were, the villagers lapped the poison up eagerly.

He ensured that every time a group of villagers cornered the boy, that no ninja would intervene unless it was a life-threatening situation. Not only would the boy recieve no physical, positive reinforcement, he'd constantly be treated negatively.

If, by any chance, there was someone who treated the boy well, like the owner of foolish Ramen shop, Ichiraku Ramen - Sarutobi thought that was the name - they were forced out of Konoha or reprimanded. The former had been necessary in that case, and several orphans who had begun the rapid process of becoming Naruto's friends were scolded, causing the majority of them to begin treating Naruto cruelly. The few that hadn't were simply moved to other orphanages.

Before the age of five, Naruto had been well on his way to breaking. With no one treating him as a human - or even an animal - the mind and soul of the jinchuuriki should have been ripe for the plucking... And yet, after his fifth birthday, everything went so very wrong.

Naruto, _poor, disgarded_ _Naruto_, had somehow recovered emotionally! Despite the caustic sneers and snarls that he gave to the citizens who assaulted him verbally and physically, despite the beatings that the child took, he was managing to smile when he was unaware of anyone around.

There was no explanation for the change. Nobody had befriended him - the ANBU's constant vigilance ensured that - and yet he acted like he had a friend, grinning up at the sky whenever he got lost in thought, like he had a bloody crush on a girl!

And with this mood swing having taken place, the possibility of making himself the sole person the boy believed in had become all for naught. His chance to have claimed the child as his weapon - as a person who had elevated Sarutobi above anything and everything else - had failed.

There would be no weapon who desired to do nothing but succeed at whatever mission or task the Hokage set for him. No weapon who would ask Sarutobi, 'How high,' when the old man would say jump. No silent killer who could take care of all human problems both in village and outside of the village, with nearly no chance of being defeated!

No chance, unless Sarutobi could figure out just where his plan got derailed, and then managed to find out how to set it back on track!

Sarutobi was brought out of his internal rant as the crackle of breaking wood resounded, like a clap of thunder, followed by the unexpected pain of teeth smacking against teeth. Grunting, he clutched his jaw in pain, before glancing down, and then letting out a quiet, hateful, "_Shit!"_ He'd apparently grinded his teeth so much that he broke his favorite pipe. Staring a bit forlornly at it, he blinked in surprise as he noticed that he could finally begin seeing again, and swivelled his chair.

Rays of light had begun to reach out from the horizon, the sun peeking over the forest that gave the VIllage of the Hidden Leaf it's name... And with the coming of the light, the dark, angry aspect of the Hokage vanished beneath the surface, leaving only the kindly old man who the village loved.

Perhaps today would be another chance to try and win the boy's trust. He heard that a new sushi place had opened up today. And it'd be such a nice treat for the now nine year old boy. After all, he could still be someone that the blonde looked up to. After all, one of these days, those suspicious blue eyes would get tired of scrutinizing him, and instead accept the gift that was his attention. It had to happen... Had to...

* * *

The same creeping rays of light slowly reached inside of another room, not so unlike the hokage's in that it had originally been shrouded in darkness, causing a rather large lump in bed to stir, irritably. Rather than irritation at plans failing or a lack of sleep, it was because of the fact that the lump wanted _more_ sleep.

And while said lump's mother loved the kit, there were things to do today, as there were every day. A crooning sound that was audible to only one person that sounded like love incarnate despite the gutteral quality to it, stated, "**Up kit"**

The mental sensation of a massive muzzle nudging him caused a quiet giggle to be heard, before a petulantly childish voice that had none of the depression it had only a few scant years ago pleadingly mumbled, "Jus' a few more minutes..." The sound of lips smacking together was heard as he rolled over onto his side... only to fall out of the bed as his request was met by a _roar_!

Grumbling a the sound of the Kyuubi's laughter, his blonde head poked up out of the thread-bare covers that he had to make due with, and glanced around his room. Rather disgusting yellow-ish walls with crumbling paint greeted him, the only truely _lovely_ sights that adorned the room being the colorful images of _**ramen**_, nature's heaven, that he had collected over the course of months. Not that his 'mom' would let him eat it all the time without first forcing him to collect some half-way decent vegetables from the surrounding forest, since the shops wouldn't sell him any that weren't rancid or rotting.

Affectionately, said 'mom' grumbled, **"Shower, boy. Then you can eat that disgusting stuff."**

Whiskers seemed to curve upwards in victory as he smiled foxily, before scrambling to his bathroom, which was hardly an approvement over his bedroom. In fact, as he slammed the door shut, a bit of plaster broke off of the wall and fell to the chipped and broken tile floor - not that he noticed. With only a yelp to reveal the fact that the water was ice cold in the shower, he quickly began scrubbing his body, cleaning it off, and then leaping out within two minutes of entering, zooming with the enthusiasm that only a child could manage to conjure up, flashing into the kitchen in a yellow blur so that he could start the water for his ramen, and begin chopping up the vegetables that were made mandatory by the loving affection of the demon he contained.

Breakfast devoured the moment it was finished - and the burns that his mouth and throated acquired from the too-hot water healed almost instantly - Naruto wasted no time at all to dart outside into the sunny day, beginning to chat almost immediately with the Kyuubi now that his mind wasn't focused on food, both arms crisscrossing one another as they held his head from the back.

"_Ne, ne, Kyuubi-kaasan, since it's Sunday and I don't need to be at the academy today, what'cha want to do?_" He could feel the vixen shake her head in amusement at his warm voice, and he felt pleased in the response. He knew that she felt guilty though, as he asked this question every day, putting her needs before his own. But she was the most important thing in the world to him!

Said kitsune felt a familiar warm tingle running through her body, before lightly swatting, mentally, at him with one tail. Despite the rough feeling of bristly fur, it became as soft as silky as it 'wrapped' around him, the emotional and mental response to the action causing even the day to feel warmer to the boy, especially as the beloved voice replied, "**Mmm, well since last Sunday was yours, I suggest that you do one of three things today. Either **_**Henge**_** and go to the library to study, watch the remedial classes going on at the academy today, or.." **Naruto could feel the shudder of revulsion that went through his 'prisoner,' and knew what she was going to say before she did. "**Or... Oberve the two green horrors and learn how to build your body, physically."**

"_But... Kaasan, that's not necessary! You're already making me so much stronger_!" He flexed one of his arms, gazing at it, and so missing the glares that several of villagers leveling at him... for all of five seconds. When he finally caught sight of the glares, his good mood evaporated, leaving him only to glare and snarl at them, lips curled back in an animalistic manner. An old woman nearly seemed to have a heart-attack, as for the briefest of moments, blue eyes turned red... But no, surely that was just a trick of the light!

Leaving the hateful citizens behind, and dodging around a corner just in time to avoid one of the rocks that were rarely thrown these days, caused him to decide he just couldn't put up with any number of people today. So that left... With determination filling him, he set off at a trot to watch Gai and Lee as they worked out.

* * *

End: Chapter 2

Whew. That was a lot longer than I expected it to be. Hope that it turned out alright, I just kind of tapped this out before I went to bed. Anyways, sorry if it's not quite following the storyline of Naruto, but... Ne! It's my story. :3

Also, an omake for anyone who is wondering just what happened with Sarutobi's plans to go out to lunch with Naruto!

Omake:

The conniving old man smiled, one hand raised upwards - looking almost feeble, like an old grandfather visiting his favorite grandchild - and knocked at the door three times. A minute passed, followed by another, and yet not a single crease marred that face. Perhaps the twinkle in his eyes dimmed a bit, but he simply knocked at the door again.

When no answer was given, he said in a sing-songy voice, "Naruto, it's your Jii-san! I'm coming in!" Pressing down on the door that was too decrepit to even have a lock, he opened it and then slipped inside. Eyes would wander along the disgusting apartment, taking note of the stains on the wall, and the failing plaster. It'd be perfect if only it was doing what it was supposed to be!

Stifling a sigh, he began walking through the apartment, calling out, "Naruto!" It was only after he'd finished going through the three rooms he was forced to concede that his plans had once again been foiled by that darn child!

He blinked a bit in surprise though, seeing a piece of paper on the refridgerator, and stepped forward. Could this be a letter from whoever was foiling his attempts to be the sole 'light' in Naruto's light?

He read it, before growling in disgust. It was just a letter to the foolish boy from himself.

"Reminder! Don't open the box in the ice box, I don't think that it's dead yet!"

Despite his anger, curiousity began to slowly fill him, causing him to open the tiny freezer, and glance inside. Only one box, so that meant that it had to be that. Reaching down, he lifted it up and rattled it a bit - recoiling a bit as he heard something shudder inside of it. Slowly, cautiously, he opened up the box...

Despite the fact that he was Hokage, he was unprepared for the greenish noodles that sprang out of the box and latched onto his face with all the skill of an ANBU! He screamed in a rather girlish fashion, before reaching up and gripping the ramen-gone-wrong, managing to toss it away only after wrestling with it for a full minute! It swiftly crawled away into the shadows, hissing at him.

When was ramen alive? Even more curious, how had ramen managed to leave several scratches on his face, or hiss? He left the apartment swiftly, deciding he would never recall this morning again.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not in any way shape or form own Naruto or any other anime, sadly. I do hereby pledge not to take any money for my work in a manner that can be traced back to this fanfiction. Please, hand me money under the table for being an awesome person instead.

Read the author's note at the end, please!

* * *

Chapter 3

* * *

_Thwack-thwack-thwack!_

Ignorant of the den of emotional depravity that was Konoha, the sun's gleaming rays showered the land with warmth and light, illuminating the telling scene that Gai had been watching for nearly an hour - a sight that filled him both with pride, and worry. Only once before had he ever seen his student, Lee-kun, practice through an entire night, and the fact that he had clearly done so meant that something was wrong.

He'd hoped that, whatever it was, Lee would have calmed down, but looking back on his waiting, it was clearly a foolish thing to hope when it had kept his stunning student from taking care of his body by resting. It was clear that his student needed his counsel!

With a loud cry, spandex-clad legs flexed, springing him from the tree and looking nothing more than a green blur as he veritably flew through the air, and then landed, skidding, the earth shattering under the force of his body until he stopped, precisely where he'd aimed - right next to his student. And yet, rather than the star-struck visage of his student, grinning at him, all he saw was a determined, panting, sweating face... and the fact that blood had begun to drip down the wood, aided every time his student kicked it!

Reaching out, he shouted, a bit melodramatically, "Lee-kun! What have you done to yourself?" As his fingers brushed across Lee's shoulders, the student spun, revealing the fact that he was a younger mirror image of his sensei.

Yet the tenseness that had entered his expression vanished as he replied in a subdued tone, "Gai-sensei." He paused, taking a breath which caused his teacher, and the man closest to being his father, from interrupting, before continuing in the same almost defeated voice. "I am considering giving up on becoming a shinobi."

Gai's jaw snapped down in surprise, before flames seemed to erupt from his eyes, "What is this? Lee-kun, what has made you want to give up your dreams? Remember, it does not matter if you can't use genjutsu or ninjutsu. You shall be a genius of hard work!"

Despite the desire to reply affirmatively, the warmth that ran through his body at his sensei's words, he shook his head, indicating that was not what was truely bothering him. Instead, he gave a short bow - indicating his thankfulness - and continued speaking. "It's not that, Gai-sensei. I don't doubt that I can be a genius of hard-work. It's..." He paused, swallowing, clearly having trouble expressing himself. "It's... that, yesterday, I saw another child getting beat up by some people yesterday, and when I went to help, a ninja stopped me and said not to interfere!"

A child? "Lee-kun, are you sure that you saw correctly? Could it not have simply been a thief who had been caught stealing?"

A firmness that had been lacking in Lee's face suddenly appeared as he replied, "No, sensei! The villagers kept calling him..." Here, the innocent boy paused, before whispering, as though relating a secret, "Demon, fox-brat..." He shuddered, knowing that those words were about as foul as a person could say after the Kyuubi's attack had happened. "Why would they call the blonde those words... Why would they attack him so?"

The exotic hair color narrowed it down to two people, the Yamanaka clan or Naruto, and there was only one person who would be being beat up for no reason at all. _' Naruto... My heart weeps for you! Still - why would a ninja prevent someone from coming to his aid?'_

Giving a broad grin that would have caused any sane person to quiver in horror, he spun swiftly and then thrust one hand out towards his student, shouting, "Lee-kun, while I don't have the answers to your question yet, I shall find out why this happened! If I can not, I shall run one hundred laps around the village!"

At this statement, Lee-kun's overly emotional self did a one-eighty turn, as he burst into joyous tears. "Gai-sensei!"

"Lee-kun!"

"Gai-senei!"

"Lee-kun!"

But little did Lee know that Gai would not look into the matter at all, as he was afraid of the answers. What if it was one of his friends who had been the one to prevent Lee from aiding Naruto? His troubled heart was hidden by the loud, joyous calls to his partner, child, and friend.

* * *

Unbeknowest to the pair who cried out their platonic love to the heavens, a bush was shivering as another familial pair huddled in terror at the pure creepiness that was taking place in the training area. This was part of the reason why observing those two occurred only rarely.

Still, within half an hour, the green duo had cried out all of their tears of joy, and had begun the workout - the real thing that Naruto had come for. Not that he often got to see all of it, as the pair always ended up running laps around Konoha. But during the time that they were at the training ground, they did a series of crunches, sit ups, push ups, and various taijutsu forms that had Naruto nearly salivating at the speed and power they presented.

Despite the boy's awe at the various forms that he was getting to see, the Kyuubi inside of him was less than impressed. Over the course of millenia, and seeing the rising of the human race, something as simple as some excercises failed to do anything but be analyzed as to how useful they'd be to her kit, much the same as the exercises that the two humans who - _somehow_ - managed to horrify her, a nearly godlike being, used. Everything that was important for her kit becoming strong was memorized and stored in her mind, while the other things - such as the crying, joyful reunion of student and child were cast aside as quickly as could be.

However, she recoiled a bit inside of Naruto's mindscape as she watched, through the deep blue eyes of her jailor and adopted child, as the older of the two 'youthful' ninjas glanced towards their hiding spot. However, when she noticed that there was no anger or hatred, she uncoiled a bit, whispering from her cell, "**Kit... The older one knows we're here."**

**"**_Huh, really? How'd he manage that!?"_

The Kyuubi sighed, revealing that this was hardly the first time that they'd had this conversation. "**Easy, kit. He sensed your chakra."**

A sigh escaped from Naruto, along with a groan as his stiff body straightened up from the position he'd been in for hours, before, limping a bit, he stepped out of the bush and began walking towards the jounin. "_I wish I could c... comp... lower my chakra so they couldn't find me!"_

An amused chuckle rumbled through his mind, causing him to hesitate for a moment, before continuing forward. "**Compress, child. Compress.**"

Unaware of the conversation that had been going through the pair's mind, Gai grinned at the seemingly alone blonde, stating, "Aha! And here comes the little spy! Spying is unyouthful, you know!" He nodded, his arms crossed his chest as he added the last, seemingly completely serious.

Naruto's eye twitched. "I... see."

"So, what has brought you to the amazing training that I, and Lee, are sharing!"

Naruto's eye twitched. Again. "I... need... help with training, Gai-sensei!" He bowed, hiding the fact that that the enthusiasm he'd been forced to dredge up had nearly made him vomit. After struggling for a full minute, he glanced upwards, blue eyes gazing, expecting rejection... only to be faced with the horrifying, full-force smile of the green-clad ninja - and despite the fact that it was clear his request was being accepted, he couldn't help the fact that he was horrified at the unleashed force of the Gai-kun grin(TM), as well.

However, before anything more could take place between the two, the bowl-haired child who had managed to continue his workout - despite the lack of a full night's sleep - seemed to materialize before Naruto's very eyes. And to his horror, the spandex-clad boy in front of him immediately bowed deeply, nearly bending over double, before resuming a ram-rod stance, "I'm sorry! I saw what the villagers were doing to you yesterday, and yet I failed to help!" He did not say that it was due to the fact that a ninja stopped him - he felt the fault was still his own.

However, a heavy hand smacked down companionably upon his shoulders as Naruto watched, and whatever rage that had begun boiling inside of him vanished as Gai sighed. "Ah, so you were the one that he saw being hurt. I'm sorry, Naruto, but a ninja stopped him from interfering."

Pausing only briefly - and catching the fact that the elder's eyes began to harden - he swiftly gave a shorter bow of his own. "It's alright, Lee-kun.

Never did he realize just how horrified he'd be, under the full weight of the harsh training regime that Gai-sensei could come up with - especially once he realized Naruto's stamina, and the extent as which he healed!

Yet despite the trauma and pain that was a result of his training with Gai and Lee, the two, green-spandexed wonders, Naruto was happy.

* * *

The happiness that the trio had - for Gai and Lee were happy with such another youthful student/training partner - might have been marred had they known that the ANBU assigned to Naruto was watching them. They might have wondered what he was doing.

Gai would have assumed that the man's actions were entirely honorable.

Lee would have been frightened, realizing that the man was the same one who had stopped him from aiding his fellow student, and, hopefully, friend.

Naruto, on the other hand, would have begun running as fast as he could, for he would recognize the fact that the ANBU operative was one of the most common of his assailiants.

But nobody noticed as the ninja slipped away, intending to report this new information to the Hokage - while hoping that he'd manage to keep his head from the old man's wrath at the fact that Naruto had seemingly managed to gain some new friends.

* * *

Much to the ANBU's glee, Sarutobi was not angry or vengeful. Instead, upon hearing the news related to him, he paused in a contemplative pose, fingers pressing together in a steeple, while his elbows rested on the wooden table. Puffing slowly on his pipe, the pair remained still - one thinking, the other sweating at the fact that he had not been dismissed.

Finally, the silence was broken as the hokage's voice snapped, "Do nothing to prevent this from occurring again. Naruto does need some training, and if he manages to be trained by a loyal Konoha ninja like Gai is, he might finally begin to raise his opinion of me." After all, the 'beautiful beast of Konoha' had never doubted the facade that the Hokage had presented. He'd know nothing of the true horrors that the old man was capable of.

Withered lips stretched in a victorious grin, feeling like he might finally have a foothold in his little weapon's door. If only he'd thought of it sooner.

End: Chapter 3

The plot thickens, and Naruto meets up with Gai. I have to admit, I don't think I did a very good job of the meeting - I just can't get into Gai or Lee's head. They seem like very messy places to be!

Next chapter, however, will finally be the meeting between Gai and Sarutobi, and Naruto and Sarutobi, and some action at the academy. Hopefully, however, I will have someone who'd be a spell-checker or co-writer, as I don't imagine I can get some of the personalities right, and I know that I don't have some of the Naruto universe ideas entirely down pat. So, if you want to be a spell-checker or co-writer, please message me!


End file.
